Summer’s Sour Note: The Stench of Sewage in Farmall Country Area

On 23 October 2024 the Farmall WhatsApp community group was lively again over the dumping of chemicals into the river from Cosmo.  “There was a chap in the bridge who took water tests.  He said: the ph. was around 9, copper sulphate will make the water blue yes but slightly more acidic,” a Farmall resident said.  “If you walk down Jackson and then through the bush at the bottom of Cosmo Business Park in the area that was set aside as an environmental area for the bullfrogs you will see the sewerage pipe overflowing into the river.  There is a chemical smell,” Farmall veteran resident.  “Can we get pictures and evidence of that.  A video,” responded another resident.  To which a resident agreeably replied, “I will see if I can get a brave person to walk with me.” 

Many residents of Farmall will tell you that over time they have watched how the landscape has vastly changed since their arrival. From Kya Sands, Cosmo City, the Lion Pride Extension Township Development massive construction over what used to be the Lion Park; the KwickBuild Cement Factory on the River and various large and noisy heavy Industrial companies like Moret Mining moving into a supposed light Industrial Business area in Mostyn Park next to Farmall Extension all contributing factors to ecological degradation of the area.

“The state and conditions of Waste Water Treatment in Mogale City was discussed last week, the amount of raw effluent being pumped into the rivers is frightening…they are killing every living organism and destroying the ecosystem, let alone polluting our dams! When will it end!” added another resident.  

It was on 25 October 2024, a couple of days later, along with other willing residents hiked to the potential environmental crime scene and we took pictures and video footage to report back to the community.  As we hiked through the bushy country back roads along and behind Cosmo Business Park from Jackson Rd on that sweltering summer mid-morning, the warmth was suddenly eclipsed by a far more potent force: the stench of sewage.  The stormwater drains that we saw along the path, once harmless fixtures, had transformed either into toxic mouths, spewing forth a noxious cloud that wrapped around us  or some were completely dry, meaning they were blocked, and water was no longer passing through them. The smell is nauseating.  It was as if the very fabric of the area had been torn apart, revealing a festering wound.  It is important to highlight that on the previous two nights quite a substantial meterage of Eskom cables was stolen for the umpteenth time along Jackson Rd, and Cosmo Business Park.

As we walked along the area that is designated as an eco-park that was set aside as an environmental area for the bullfrogs, we saw a river contaminated not only sewage but litter as well.  There also appeared to be a man in the middle of the river on a bank whom upon inquiring why he was putting his life at risk by being inside the dirty water, he said he does it for livelihood – digging up for river sand.   He is aware of the health risks but it’s not enough to deter him from putting himself in harm’s way.    Further along the riverbank, we see discarded cables, after copper stripping.  This can have significant environmental impacts as cables contain insulation materials like PVC, rubber and plastic as well as heavy metals like lead, mercury, which can leach toxic chemicals into soil and water.  Discarded cables can also alter soil composition, affecting plant growth and microbial activity.  If a veld fire was to suddenly break out it increases the chances of PVC pollution which releases harmful dioxins and furans when burned or degraded.  The health risks are equally catastrophic. 

As we walked along the boundary fence behind Cosmo Business Park, we saw weep holes in retaining masonry wall with staining/spillage marks and creeping plant/vines leaves covering parts of the iron wire and electric fences, we pondered on what they are for, especially as the track covered storm drainage pipes protruding on the surface of the ground.  However, upon further inspection of the storm drainages, it looked dry indicating that there might be blockage and thereby being rendered ineffective in reducing water buildup.

We captured what we could that day as we also were advised that it is not safe for us (ladies) to walk down this path without security escort, and so towards the end of our short hike, we were escorted out by one of the Security personnel and lead sub-contractors who happened to be onsite.  The lead sub-contractor indicated that they are assessing a quotation to unblock storm drainage system amongst other safety and security measures. 

In conclusion, sewage contamination of the ground and water poses significant environmental, health and safety risks.  The purpose of this feedback report is to promote public awareness and educate communities about the environmental impacts of contamination of water and rivers; discarded and illegal dumping of cables and plastics and the cost implications of non-sustainable; eco-friendly water and waste management systems on residents.

 

Video References:

1.       Jackson Rd - Sewage spillage increasing risk of groundwater pollution 

2.       Behind Cosmo Business Park – Contaminate water upstream

3.    Main Sewage Pipe – Stolen Eskom cables stripped of copper and littered on the ground

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Authors: Tambu Ndoro, Sustainability Advisor, SustainWise Strategies (c) 2024 and Independent Contractor for Hanga Consulting LLC t/a Ndoro Resources (c) 2015.  Tambu is a Farmall resident
Michelle Goodman - Veteran Farmall Residents 

Tools for measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE)

Source: Screenshot eNCA Interview with Ms. Tambudzai Ndoro former Acting Director of Programs and Program Manager for Womens Economic and Social Advancement, 27 January 2022.

 

Problem Statement

According to the UN’s Progress on SDG: The Gender Snapshot 2023 report 158 million women and girls globally may be pushed into poverty as a direct result of climate change; food insecurity caused by climate change.  An additional USD$360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across the key global goals in 2030.[1] 

Emerging data is showing that insufficient data and evidence to monitor advances and incentivize policy actions are other major impediments to achieving gender equality; as countries lack 44% of the data required to track SDG5.[2]   It is against this backdrop, we ask the question, what are the tools for measuring WEE and how can governments institutionalise compliance in monitoring and evaluation impact of WEE and Gender Equality across sectors including private sector?

What are the tools for measuring WEE?

There are several widely used tools and indicators for measuring women's economic empowerment. Some of the recent and prominent ones include:

 

1.     Africa Gender Development Index (AGDI) - The African Gender Development Index (AGDI) was introduced by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in 2004 to measure gaps between the status of African men and women and assess the progress made by African governments in implementing gender policies.  The AGDI consists of two complementary parts: the Gender Status Index (GSI) and the African Women’s Progress Scoreboard (AWPS). The GSI covers the aspects of gender relations that can be measured quantitatively, while the AWPS captures qualitative issues in relation to the performance of gender policies of African Governments.  The GSI consists of three blocks: the social power, which measures human capabilities; the economic power, which measures economic opportunities; and the political power, which measures voice or political agency. The components and sub-components of the three blocks are measured using 44 indicators, divided into seven components and 11 sub-components.[3] 

 

The AWPS focuses on issues such as women’s rights that cannot be quantified using conventional statistics. It tracks government progress in ratifying regional and international conventions, documents and treaties regarding gender equality and women’s advancement and empowerment, and also in incorporating the principles of these conventions and documents in national laws, programmes and policies.[4] These regional conventions, documents and treaties are: the 1990 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; the 2001 NEPAD Framework Document; the 2003 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa; and the 2004 Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa.[5] The key international instruments included are: CEDAW; the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols adopted in 2000; the ICPD Programme of Action; the Millennium Declaration of 2000, which defined eight Millennium Development Goals; the Beijing Platform for Action; the 1999 optional protocol to CEDAW; and the 2000 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.[6] The AWPS also tracks progress made by countries in implementing three Security Council resolutions on Peace and Security: resolution 1325 of 2000, resolution 1820 of 2008, and resolution 1888 of 2009, and Conventions 100, 111 and 182, adopted by members of the International Labour Organization. The AWPS is composed of four blocks: the three GSI blocks, plus women’s rights.[7]

2.     Extractive Industries and Transparency Initiative (EITI) - The EITI is a global mineral resource governance framework aimed at promoting transparency accountability and good mineral resource governance in resource extracting economies and in the process act as a tool to fight corruption, mismanagement of natural resource wealth, poverty, weak corporate and public governance and opaqueness.[8] Multi-stakeholders groups at national level groups are responsible for implementing EITI at a national level in member countries.

3.     Gender-related Development Index (GDI): The GDI measures gender inequality in three dimensions - health (measured by female and male life expectancy at birth), knowledge (measured by female and male expected years of schooling), and command over economic resources (measured by female and male estimated earned income).  It provides an overall measure of gender disparities in a country.

4.     Gender Inequality Index (GII): The GII measures gender inequalities in reproductive health, empowerment, and economic status. It takes into account maternal mortality rates, adolescent birth rates, educational attainment, representation of women in economic and political decision-making roles, and labour force participation rates.

5.     Women's Economic Empowerment Index (WEEI): The WEEI is a composite index that assesses the economic empowerment of women based on indicators such as labour force participation, educational attainment, representation in decision-making roles, and access to financial resources and assets. It provides a comprehensive measure of women's economic status.

6.     Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI): The SIGI measures discrimination against women in social institutions across various dimensions, including family code, physical integrity, civil liberties, access to resources and assets, and ownership rights. It provides insights into the structural barriers that women face in achieving economic empowerment.

7.     Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI): The GGGI measures gender-based gaps in four key areas - economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. It provides an overall ranking of countries based on gender equality.

 

These tools and indices help track progress in women's economic empowerment and identify areas that require attention and intervention.  However, it is not exhaustive as new tools keep emerging in response to complex dimensions in society.

---

[1] Progress on the SDG: The Gender Snapshot, 2023.

[2] Progress on the SDG: The Gender Snapshot, 2023.

[3] Africa Gender Development Index Technical Note

[4] See note 3

[5] See note 4

[6] Africa Gender Development Index Technical Note

[7] See note 6

[8] See note 17

Seven Key Strategies to Accelerate Women's Economic Empowerment 101

In my previous role when I led a women's economic empowerment programme for an advocacy pan-african institution based in Johannesburg was responsible to identify strategies to advance Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE).  There are several strategies we employed and other partner women's rights, feminists organisations also use.  These strategies are specific to policy, advocacy and communication strategies.  In no particular order of importance or effectiveness here are the seven key strategies:  

1. Policy Reform: Governments and organizations can work towards implementing policies that promote gender equality and support women's economic empowerment. This may include measures such as legislation to ensure equal pay for equal work, promoting affordable childcare, implementing maternity and paternity leave, and addressing barriers to women's entrepreneurship, among others.  For example, many bilateral and multilateral institutions have integrated a Gender Action Plan and a Gender Policy in line with the Gender national policy. Below are examples of policy mechanisms for WEE and Financial Inclusion Advocacy.  
   
   
   
2. Advocacy and Awareness: Advocating for women's economic empowerment through campaigns and initiatives can help raise awareness about the importance of gender equality in the workforce. This can be done through partnerships with organizations, engaging stakeholders and decision-makers, and using various communication channels to reach a wide audience.   Organisations such as FEMNET, an African Women Development and Communication Network, have the African Women's Journal where they share impact stories and event highlights; African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) an organisation that amplifies and celebrates African Women's voices and achievements, CGAP is a think tank organisation established FinEquity, a community of practice platform were it brings awareness on the barriers women specifically face in accessing finance; and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have The GoalKeeper Report and The Optimist monthly newsletter on LinkedIn, to name a few.  
3. Capacity Building and Skills Training: Providing women with relevant skills training and access to education can enhance their employability and economic opportunities. This includes supporting vocational training programs, financial literacy initiatives, and entrepreneurship training to empower women to start and grow their own businesses. For example, EMPRETEC is a flagship capacity-building programme of UNCTAD for the promotion of entrepreneurship and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).  I completed an EMPRETEC course in 2012 in Zimbabwe facilitated by the Executive Director of EMPRETEC Zimbabwe Ms. Busi Bango.   Fantastic model anchored on behaviour modification to sustain entrepreneurship habits.
4. Access to Finance and Resources: Ensuring women have equal access to financial resources and services is crucial. This can be achieved by promoting women's access to loans, grants, and venture capital, as well as providing financial education and support for women-owned businesses.  The Graca Machel Trust, established an Expert Leaders Group (ELG) of women leaders in operating as Deputy Governors or Governors of Central African Banks or Reserve Bank to advocate and mobilise for funding towards women entrepreneurs.
5. Networking and Mentorship: Facilitating networks and mentorship opportunities for women can provide them with the guidance, support, and connections needed to advance their careers. This can be achieved through mentorship programs, networking events, and online platforms that connect women entrepreneurs with successful professionals.
6.  Gender-Responsive Investment: Encouraging investors and financial institutions to adopt gender-responsive investment practices can leverage their influence to support women's economic empowerment. This may involve promoting gender lens investing, gender-targeted funds, and engaging with financial institutions to prioritize gender equality in their investment decisions.  Visa Foundation, Mastercard Foundation and MEDA to name a few organizations working actively in this space.  
7. Monitoring and Evaluation: Implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess progress and measure the impact of policies and programs is essential. This ensures accountability and helps identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.

These strategies, when implemented holistically and in coordination with one another, can contribute to accelerating women's economic empowerment and fostering gender equality in the workforce. 

Tambu Ndoro is a Women's Economic Empowerment Activist, Author of Franchising Bullshit: Lessons Learned in Running a Franchise Restaurant,  Founder and Executive Director of Ndoro Resources t/a as Hanga Consulting and Tamar Designs.  She is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa.  She is also recently a member of International Association of Professional Writers and Editors (IAPWE).  She can be reached at tambu.ndoro@gmail.com

1. 

#BannedImports in Zimbabwe

How many of us actually understand the S1 64 2016 article that the Government of Zimbabwe had implemented in full force for several days now.  With all the protests and mayhem reported it can be easy as a bystander to be easily swayed by the public rhetoric and automatically make uninformed assumptions (like BREXIT) without taking the time to understand why, and what the reasons behind the statutory restrictions on particular import substitutions. 

After scrolling last night through my Facebook newsfeed, as I sometimes do in the hopes of catching some news I may have missed during the day – I came across an interesting and highly heated debate on the #BannedImports in Zimbabwe.  What stood out the most was an individual who had a very different point of view to the rest of the participants.  However, it wasn’t just that fact he was willing to stand up for what he believed, he is a Practitioner in manufacturing FMCG products in Zimbabwe and according to the statement on facebook, the individual “employs 300 people in his company… manufactures products which they export to over 20 African countries including Canada and Hungary…of which last year they exported 500 tons of products…which is 70% of turnover in exports related receipts.”  Suddenly, he had my attention, I was curious to learn, what he had to say and why they would support S1 64 2016. So I read on and decided to share the insights that resulted in changing my mindset around the statutory instrument.  Below are my 5 points I was able to extrapolate from the insightful individual to share with interested parties:

1)      “Government has not banned imports”

 Government of Zimbabwe have removed products with import substitution from the Open General Import License (OGIL).  This means if one wants to import them, one will need an import license.  To obtain the license one needs to justify why there is a need to import the product.  For example Coffee Creamer is on the list because it can be found locally.  Otherwise, if it is on the list, but you are unable to  source it locally, the SI 64 2016 is flexible and companies/traders can obtain an import license at the cost of US$30 valid for 3-months.

2)      SI 64 2016 is a Temporary Tool

The concept of SI 64 2016 was discussed at the SADC heads of state meeting in Victoria Falls 2015 and it was agreed that Zimbabwe’s industry lagged behind regional countries by 10 years and needed to be capacitated to prevent disparities in trade balances between member states of SADC.  In accordance, to regional trade protocols, SI 64 is time bound for a period of about 5 years but may vary from sector to sector depending on the timelines for retooling and upscaling of capacity and throughput.  Therefore, it’s important to highlight that the SI is a temporary tool to help address the problems to which Zimbabwe faces in the form of cash shortages and possibly failure by Government to pay salaries.

3)      Currency Valuations and Incentives

Most of the public rhetoric assumes that Zimbabweans perceived quality on local products is low.  That is not entirely true.  Compared to Chinese imports, Zimbabweans generally prefer local industry solutions as they are of better quality.  However, quality doesn’t necessarily translate to value or affordability and unfortunately because Zimbabwe trades in US$ currency, affordability rests with currency valuations. The rand has weakened to around R15 to the US$1. So imagine a local manufacturer costs of producing a product are in US$ but they are competing with Importers with goods manufactured in ZAR (Rand) costs – so they can export at cost and are incentivized via rebates offered to foreign manufacturers.  This allows their products to still reach the consumer at cost and still make a profit.  However, Zimbabwean manufacturers do not share the same benefit.  The South African government have placed several non-tariff barriers that deliberately stifle competition from imports especially from Zimbabwe.  With such obstacles it makes sense for to create an instrument such as S1 64 to level the playing field.

4)      Customer-Centric focused Strategy

Benefits to the local manufacturer: It depends on the products that you are offering to the market.  If the product is targeted at a value chain that recognizes quality ahead of price and your customers have a perceived value of your products that is more favourable than your competitors then you are likely to retain your customers. Customer loyalty = Customer retention.  Furthermore, customized products tailored to the smallest trader unlike for example China where one has to import in bulk to trade, creates a competitive advantage and a niche market, cementing a company’s position.

5)      Lead Time in Production

A supply chain is organized in a way that reduces lead time is always a value add.  In this individual’s case lead time is as a result of geographical proximity.  In addition, better payment terms with suppliers compared to their competitors makes the company an attractive business partner.  This improves your economies of scale.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear,” Jesus said, Matthew 11:15, and in light of recent global events of BREXIT can we safely choose, “Ignorance is bliss”, route?

Challenge me to grow

Today, I was part of the Lean Thinking Operations Program for one of our big corporate clients based in Johannesburg.  Whilst I had studied the concept a couple of times at undergrad level during Operations Management class; during MBA program and implemented the principles of JIT stock management and continuous improvement when me and my family operated a franchise restaurant – observing my esteemed colleague Stefan Cronje, CA (SA) providing an experiential learning platform for our clients was an AHA moment.  We know how the Japanese car transformed the automobile industry just by the way they decided to approach their processes and systems.  It takes courage as a leader of a large enterprise to re-inject a company with a new vision and way of doing things.  CEOs and world leaders face this choice all the time.  Should they face their debilitating failures or surround themselves with people who will worship the ground they walk on.   

Lou Gerstener, turned around IBM, as he set about the task of transforming IBM culture and policies. Stock prices were stagnant and Wall Street was disparaging to say the least.  He was deemed the personification of failure.  Years later, IBM was leading in its field again. 

The start of ECONET by Strive Masiyiwa, was far from glamorous.  Masiyiwa approached ZPTC, Zimbabwe’s only national telecommunication company at the time.  The company showed no interest and passed the final discouraging statement to Masiyiwa saying that cell phones had no future in the country.  Masiyiwa then decided to create a cell phone network on his own.  After selling Retrofit Engineering in 1994 and started to finance Econet Wireless through his family company, TS Masiyiwa Holdings (TSMH).  He was opposed by ZPTC which told him he held a monopoly in telecommunications and second from the Zimbabwean government which imposed on his red tape and demands for bribes.  After a four year battle that reached the Supreme Court, Econet finally won a license to provide cell phone service in Zimbabwe.  In 1998, Econet’s first cell phone subscriber was connected to the new network.  Econet went on to establish presence in 15 countries including other African nations, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.   Econet headquarters moved to South Africa in 2000.  “Strive is driven by focus, determination and passion,” Norman Nyazema told Financial Mail.  “Failure is not an option, no matter how many obstacles are thrown in his way,” (December 5, 2003). Nyazema Chairman of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe and had gone to school with Masiyiwa.   Masiyiwa has become an inspiration to young and budding entrepreneurs in Africa and around the world and continues to speak word of hope and the importance of persistence in the pursuit of your goals.  Both these people had succeeded where people either feared to tread or struggled because they were challenged to grow. 

I took skiing lessons for the first time ever in Davos earlier this year.  Have falling more times than I can count in addition to numbing my foot as a result of excessively tight ski shoe as a result of my instructor insisting that it was just the pain of trying on "new shoes"  almost 3-months later by left-foot has not restored its full "feeling" functions despite the trip to the emergency room upon returning.  Inspite of the uncomfortable experience, would I skii again? Yes. Just in better fitting shoes! 

“What’s your priority?  If you had to choose, which would it be? Loads of success and validation or lots of challenge,” asks the Author Carol Dweck in her book Mindset.  I just came from an experiential learning event were I was both stretched mentally and physically.  Whilst, I had already been embarking on learning journey, the growth to accelerating my career had been riddled with my own self-doubt as a result of noises that insisted on playing a bigger role in my head.  However, I was able to quieten the noises once I was far removed from the environment and was in the same company of those who were in the same learning journey as me.  No judgement, no egos, no entitlement, no seniority – just good old fashioned learning.  I wanted to be around people who wanted to foster my development and I want to be challenged to be a better version of me so that I can contribute meaningfully, deliberately and purposefully to the ecosystems I am privileged to be part of.  However, what does one do when you find yourself back in the environment that fosters mediocrity, promoting corporate-cliques and political systems and silo cultures? I am reminded by the inspirational words of Dr. Philious Andreu Sphika, President of BTS Other Markets during our year end function last year which I summarize in 10 points in my own words as follows:

1. Start doing the small things right – Get the small things right.  You can only eat an elephant bite size at a time
2. Can’t do things alone – Find someone to help you paddle or mentor you
3. Measure a person by the size of their heart – you might not be talented or skilled in your craft but if you have the will to learn the job at hand then your heart is in the right place
4. Get over being a ‘sugar cookie’ – sometimes no matter what you do in life, no matter the effort you will not be recognized nor rewarded for it.  Sugar cookie is  process in the army were a junior army ranked officer was initiated through many forms and one of them was to swim in the ice-cold ocean water in their army uniform and then had to roll their wet-body in the beach sand and walk around most of the day in that state. 
5. Don’t be afraid to fail – Be open to learning by not getting it right the first time
6. Sometimes you have to slide down head first – Some obstacles require you to slide down head first. Its uncomfortable but it’s part of the process
7. Don’t back down from the sharks – When you see the bullies are coming after you just go facing them head on
8. You must be your very best in the darkest moment – It’s easy to be happy in the good times.  The question is can you be happy in the saddest of times.
9. Start singing when you’re up to the neck in the mud – When you feel like you have landed in a sink-hole and can’t get out – start singing out loud. It may just save your life.
10. Don’t ever, ever ring the bell – Don’t give in and don’t give up. 

Signs you have reached levels of your own incompetence

When I ran a Franchise restaurant not so long ago, it was painful to witness the levels of ignorance that held captive of the management team we had inherited from the Franchisor.  At first, it was very difficult to define or interpret the knowledge gap, because I myself was embarking on my own development track of becoming an experienced operator.  It was not long when I surpassed my own learning objectives when I uncovered the learning gaps in my management team.  I went through some parts of the grieving cycle: “denial”; “anger”; skipped “bargaining” and went straight to finally “acceptance.”  It was like watching a powerful icon fall from grace.  I had to promote one member to general restaurant duties and I had to demote and eventually dismiss a member who had been a 30-year veteran after some informal discussion on his own performance; followed by a grave alleged misconduct he committed.  Whilst he embodied a peaceful spirit in his execution of his duties; the poor middle-aged man had reached his own levels of incompetence which I reveal in my first upcoming book.

Since, then, I have identified some signs that may reveal that you or someone that you know may have reached their own levels of incompetence.  Feel free to add more to the list.  In no way is this list in any order of importance:

When you think longevity in a company translates to deep expertise

  

Did you know that you can be in a job long enough doing the same damn thing over and over, over a long period of time and because you are not honest and open to feedback about your job performance and how you can improve you will begin to think that you are the Don Jon of the gig.  Two things may happen (1) along comes a rookie and challenges your ‘formula’ out of pure curiosity and you instruct them to keep quiet and stay in their little corner – “watch n’ learn” they call it.  (2) you just become a monster menace in the office and bully your way through every meeting, negotiation to justify your long-standing service to the company.  In fact, you forget that being in the game is about “how relevant you are” it has nothing to do with how long you have been playing the SAME game.  I constantly have to reinvent myself despite what some people may call, “a colourful background.”  So, try not to take it personally, when you shower your decorative accolades to group of hungry learners and they say “so, what – what are we going to learn from you this moment.”  People need to feel that you have been of value to them on their journey of discovery-based learning.  Otherwise, you are not offering the world much by carrying your “heavy-weight” title around.

You think your view is always superior to that of others

A client once shared with a relative that they have never been around people smarter than her before.  This was after she spent a day with some of our very intellectual business colleagues and family members who are entrepreneurs and Chairman on several Boards.    

You are not open to your colleagues or your team’s ideas

I have been at both spectrums on this.  This one is a very delicate balance. Tread very carefully.

You lack emotional intelligence (EQ) and social intelligence (SQ)

This should be evident. No need to elaborate on this point. 

You really don’t know how much you actually don’t know

“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.” – Thomas Sowell

One of my favourite Professors at university who taught me Contemporary Business in Finance, during my undergrad at Montclair State University, Joseph Dubanowitz once said in a recommendation letter he wrote to my future employers at the time: “Tambu, can at times be hard on herself…”  I am because I have always been in high performing teams.  The standard is always higher than the average.  Very competitive environment.  So, you develop a mental mechanism that even when you succeed at what your highest peak at that time is, you keep wanting to out-do yourself.  Therefore, I never revert to a state of “all-consuming, and all knowing” attitude.  It is very dangerous.  Eight years later, after I completed my Masters in Business Administration.  I was awed and still am, at how little I knew about markets, business, people and leadership.  I am in a constant state of knowledge-seeking.  Ignorance is not bliss.

“Care Killed the Cat"

In my 15 years of adulthood I have come across different types of psychology.  The worst to date was interacting with a narcissist with a heightened degree of masochism.  They used other people's weaknesses to control them.  My weak spot was seeing the beauty in their dishonesty.  Yes, beauty.  In the pursuit of identifying my weak spot, they had to play a game of self-disclosure.  They had to be vulnerable enough to reveal part of themselves, to unlock the barriers to entry.  To know how I think and possibly how I feel.  It is a dangerous game because they unwittingly became vulnerable to my childlike curiosity of their own world.  So, when the time came to control me and to put me in line they had to deny themselves the pleasure of letting our worlds unite.  They had to hurt themselves to hurt me.

The narcissist developed a soft spot, I too knew his weak spot.  The little dance of power play began.  But like in war, they are no winners or losers, just major casualties on both sides.  It is said by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, that “a cat has nine lives, yet care would wear them all out.”  In essence.  Care kills the cat.  Few know, this is the actual original phrase of the adage: "Curiosity killed the cat."  Hence, it became clear that the deception of self-disclosure, they also came to care more than they wanted to admit.  So they self-sabotaged by severing any lines of exchange between us, to preserve themselves and the sanity they had struggled to attain prior to other  battles that they had exposed themselves to. 

This personal revelation is very critical in forming strategic partnerships or alliances with your suppliers; contractors; employees and business associates and business partners. This is because all these networks require a delicate balance of self-disclosure and professionalism that allows one to develop trust over a long-term period.  One can’t be in the business of doing business for any length of time without understanding the inherent psychology of managing these professional relationships.  Who you know always gets you the access to business and opportunities but it is what you know that will sustain you once you have acquired the opportunity.  They say, don’t mix business with pleasure.  But whoever came up with that saying never engaged in the process of business development and account management.  Pleasure with business, mix; it’s the apportioned ratio of how much pleasure should be necessary in ensuring the continuity of a business relationship.  Here are three ways to ensure that you don’t care too much to kill your business or yourself:

1.      Self-reflection and introspection

Thomas Sowell once said, “It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.”  Am sure you have been told by a friend or business colleague at some point in your life that you think too much.  Always, take time to reflect the context in which it was said.  If it was said, whilst you needed time to review over some legal contracts, a sale agreement, a purchase agreement or even implementing a project chances the person, who mostly likely would have been the recipient of your final decision didn’t want you to uncover certain things.  People who think they can out smart you or they are a few steps ahead of you always, particularly in business or were monetary risk is concerned don’t want you to have a time of introspection and self-reflection.  Anybody who says trust me before they have invested time in giving you your own time, should not be trusted. One needs time to masticate on the why’s, and when’s of the recipients of your business decision, are self-disclosing the way they are in the first place.  How will you proceed? Will you self-disclose in turn? Or will you take your time until you have ALL the information?  Or will you take the leap of faith?

2.      Know the end game

It’s common knowledge not to go into a meeting without an agenda and projected outcome of the meeting.  When I ran a franchise restaurant not so long ago, we used to be subjected to ambush meetings by the Franchisor.  It’s a type of psychology that has the propensity to always keep the attendees out of the loop and in turn makes decisions based on the information presented only in that meeting, risky business.  Luckily, my team and I always insisted on knowing before what the agenda of the meeting was and how much time should be allotted to this meeting.  You don’t ever want to be taken by surprise – based on the decisions you made not paying attention the detail including paying attention to the behaviours of your suppliers, contractors and business associates. 

3.      Keep an open mind

The world we live in, in 2015 requires us to have a very fluid approach to the decisions that we make in business.  When a business documents its strategy for the next 5 years it’s not an entirely prescriptive measure.  The business has been to be cognisant of all the different moving parts in the market and non-market economies that will affect is strategic objectives and tactical plans.  More than several decades ago companies like Anglo American plc, BHP Billiton's Ingwe Collieries, Sasol Mining, Glencore Xstrata, and Exxaro may have the mission statement of being the leading coal producers in the region; but the environment they lend themselves in, has shown that the strategy may have to refocus and look at being the leading energy companies in the region, in spite of accounting to 85% of all production.  Thus, even though you are being played by market forces keep an open mind on how to strategically navigate and adapt your strategy to remain relevant in the game. 

In the end, it’s a faith-game; but a faith-game you continuously bet on yourself and not the self-disclosure and perceived sincerity purported by your business players.  Whilst, my colleague in beginning of this article started to care, in a way that may have exposed his initial strategy to control me.  They failed to adapt their mindset.  In failing to do so, I also believe that they were unable to meet the new needs and demands of our association.  In addition, I later learned that they had obtained an incomplete profile of me and when they soon discovered who I was, they were unprepared and reacted in a way that revealed they had over exposed themselves and cared too much.  I was affected to the extent that I had exposed myself.  No winners, no losers; just casualties and a heightened awareness. 

Tambu Ndoro can be contacted on Email: tambu.ndoro@gmail.com